Although the actual track is sadly incomplete you can hear lots of whoops and laughter after Level 5’s barnstorming conclusion, it’s almost as though the Crims were surprised at having tame this heavy monstrosity. As they belt through ProzaKc Blues Robert’s rig goes awol and afterward you can clearly hear Belew checking to see if everything is OK before proceeding with a beautifully rendered TCOL. “Welcome to the first evening of our current US tour. Thought we’d try it out on you first and see what you think and you can tell us later and then we’ll go on if it’s possible,” says Belew to the folks at Phoenix’s Orpheum Theatre. After a storming FaKcts Of Life, the gremlins return to chew at the integrity of the interlocking guitar sections causing a bit of a short circuit during ElektriK. Pushing forward, fans of Trey Gunn’s baritone thrumming at the bass end of things are in for a treat during a briskly trotting Dinosaur. His touch guitar snarls and growls like an angry beast which seems rather appropriate. Notwithstanding a blistering Happy, an ethereal TPTB II and a heavenly Deception Of The Thrush, all told the Crims are still ironing out the bugs and finding their feet at the beginning of the tour here.
